Accessibility

The SMURF web site has been built to the highest standards of accessibility.

- - -

Text Size

You can set your browser to apply certain rules about font colour, background colour, font size and font face automatically to all web pages you visit. In Internet Explorer, for example, select the Tools menu - Internet options. Then select the Colours, Fonts of your choice. Once you have done this, select the Accessibility button and check the boxes to ignore font sizes, styles and colours specified on web pages (it will use your defaults instead).

You can also use a keyboard shortcut to increase or decrease the font size (this will work on any well-designed web site). In Internet Explorer, hold down the Alt key and press ] to increase the size or press [ to decrease it.

Keyboard users

Keyboard access to this site is designed to be intuitive, using the Tab key and/or access-keys. If your browser allows it (e.g. the excellent Opera or Firefox browsers), you may also navigate through the page headings.

Access-keys

The following access keys can be used to navigate the site. Access key use differs from browser to browser -- if you are using Microsoft's Internet Explorer, hold down Alt (or Command on the Mac) while pressing the access key. Then press Enter to select the link.

• S: Skip to menu
• 0: Accessibility
• 1: Home Page
• 2: Cycle Through Main Menu Items (Internet Explorer Only)
• 9: Contact Us

Don't forget that your browser will have access-keys of its own. In Internet Explorer for Windows, for example, holding down Alt while pressing the left-arrow key will move you back a page, Alt+D will move the cursor to the address bar, Alt+A will open the favourites menu, etc.

Extra information

The best access-features are additive, that is that they do not take away from any other users' experience of the web site. We use titles and alternate text for images, links, glossary items and acronyms that provide more information for users that want it. This might be as tool tips, or through screen reader options. If you are a mouse user, try resting your mouse pointer over any word that has a dashed underline to see it in action. This makes the site easier to use for users who do not or cannot download images, PDA users, and for users of screen-readers.

Structure

The site is structured so that it's easy to get around. Headings are marked as such, links make sense when read out of context. The main content of the page is placed early in the code (the contact information, for example, actually appears at the end of each page, and is then positioned to the top-right hand corner). This makes the site more straightforward for users who prefer the keyboard to the mouse, and to users with screen readers. It also makes the site rank significantly higher with search engines such as Google^TM.

What you won't find

• Tables used for layout. We only use tables for what they are supposed to be for, tabulating data. This makes life a lot easier for users of screen-reading software
• Pop-up windows. These can be confusing for users of screen-readers. Also, many users (perhaps as many as 1 in 5) have software to block pop-ups, meaning that even where they are used, you cannot put anything important in them.
• Reliance on flash, javascript or cookies. We might use the technologies, but we don't rely on them. The site works perfectly well with or without them.
• Flashing or blinking elements. These are not only distracting, they can be a problem for users with movement-triggered epilepsy
• Fixed widths or sizes. No matter how you size your window or size your text, the site will flow elegantly with it. Give it a try!